Lonely stork at Birdland, Bourton-on-the-Water seeks new girlfriend

A GIANT stork living at Birdland in Bourton-on-the-Water is looking for a mate after losing his 17-year-old female partner.

The huge male marabou stork’s species is believed to have the largest wingspan in the world, and is also known as the ‘undertaker bird’ due to its slow walk, cloak-like wings and thin white legs. His keepers are keen to find him a new partner.

“Storks are certainly not the most attractive of birds,” said head keeper at Birdland Alistair Keen. “They mostly eat rotting meat and they do have the rather unfortunate habit of urinating down their own legs to keep themselves cool.

“However I’m sure none of this would put off another marabou and we’re hoping to find him a suitable suitor soon.”

Marabous eating human rubbish have been seen to devour virtually anything that they can swallow, including shoes and pieces of metal. The stork at Birdland has been seen catching large trout for his dinner from the river which runs through its aviary.

Birdland features more than 500 birds in a mix of free-flying and aviary displays.

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